1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing silver loaded activated carbon fiber and the silver loaded activated carbon fiber prepared thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Activated carbon fiber (ACF), also known as the fibrous activated carbon, is an adsorbent material having a large specific surface area and a narrow pore size distribution. Activated carbon fiber has a fast adsorption-desorption rate and a large adsorption capacity, can be easily processed into different shapes, such as carpets, cloth, and paper, and is acid, base, and corrosion resistant. Activated carbon fiber has been used in widely in environmental protection, catalyst, medicine, and various other fields.
Activated carbon fiber can also used for air and water filtration. Activated carbon fiber, however, does not have antimicrobial properties. Silver loaded activated carbon fiber overcomes the shortcomings of activated carbon fiber, and possesses both adsorption and antimicrobial properties. Silver loaded activated carbon fiber can be used in air and water filtration, antimicrobial dressings, and other various fields.
In related art, there are two type of methods of preparing silver loaded activated carbon fiber. In the first type of methods, silver is first loaded onto the fibers, and the fiber is then carbonized and activated. Chinese patent application publication CN 102133420 describes a such method. This type of methods have the following shortcomings. The silver is not adequately loaded onto the fibers, and after the fiber is carbonized and activated, the silver is not evenly distributed on the surface of the activated carbon fiber, and does not have uniform particle size. This results in poor antimicrobial properties.
In the second type of methods, the fiber is first carbonized and activated, and silver is the loaded onto the activated carbon fiber. Chinese patent application publications CN 1726782, CN 101387001, and CN 1480584 and Acta Scien Tiae Circumstan Tiae, Vol. 19, No. 3, pages 328-331 describe such methods. These methods have the following shortcomings. The binding between the silver particles and the activated carbon fiber is weak, and the loaded silver particles are often disassociated from the activated carbon fiber during use. This results in short use life of the silver loaded activated carbon fiber and poor antimicrobial properties.
Accordingly, there exists a need for developing a silver loaded activated carbon fiber with evenly distributed, uniform, and stable silver particles and its preparation method.